Rizzoli & Gibbs
by LostatDownton
Summary: When Gibbs and the MCRT are called to Boston to work a joint investigation with Boston PD, Gibbs and his team are shocked by the appearance of Maura Isles- a woman who looks exactly like Gibbs' dead love, Caitlin Todd. Meanwhile Rizzoli and Gibbs clash on how to run the investigation. Confronted and overwhelmed by the past, Gibbs struggles to find happiness with Maura. Hinted Kibbs
1. Chapter 1

**_Washington- NCIS_**

Gibbs was the second-last person to storm into the bullpen on a rainy February morning, and walked over to his desk, picking up the phone that was ringing incessantly on his desk.

"Gibbs. Talk." He barked into the phone.

Ziva and McGee exchanged a look. What was up with the boss _now_? He'd spent the last week snapping at them. It didn't help that almost every single day, DiNozzo had been late.

_Tony is going to die if he comes in any later. _McGee though. More book material, he supposed. He was watching Gibbs carefully.

Finally, he said. "Grab your gear everyone."

"Should I gas the truck, boss?" DiNozzo asked, walking in, ignoring the glare from Gibbs.

"Nope." He sounded almost cheerful now. "I want you to get us tickets on the next flight to Boston."

"Little out of our usual turf, isn't it boss?" DiNozzo asked carefully.

"Ya think, DiNozzo?" was the call.

"Where are you going?" Ziva asked, regretting it the instant it left her mouth.

"I need more coffee." Was his short reply.

"Boston… a bit of a far shot from Washington." Ziva commented.

"Long shot, Ziva." Tony sighed, looking after Gibbs.

"Why were you late?" McGee asked him. "Gibbs was ready to eat you alive."

"Sorry Probie, I was unaware that I was supposed to be Mr. Punctuality."

DiNozzo typed away at his computer, sighing periodically. "Why does Gibbs want us in Boston? What could possibly be in Boston?"

"I'll tell you what." McGee said. "Something that concerns NCIS."

"Well no kidding." DiNozzo said, deadpan, rolling his eyes. _Stupid McGeek. _He thought. He went looking for the flight from Washington to Boston.

Gibbs walked back in. "DiNozzo, you better have something."

"Boss, you've been gone fifteen minutes!" Tony complained, although Gibbs silenced him with a glare. "I could get us on the next flight out of Washington, leaves at 1300."

"All right."

"So what's in Boston?" Tony asked. Gibbs turned and looked at him.

"Dead Marine."

"Will we have to grapple with local LEOs?" Tony asked, grimacing at the thought. "Or worse, FBI. I'd rather not talk to Agent Slacks again."

"Tony." McGee sighed. _Would Tony ever get over it?_

"I'm sure the feeling is mutual, DiNozzo!" Gibbs snapped. "I don't know, I've heard that Boston PD is already working on it. So it may be a battle."

"Oh we can take Boston PD easily." Tony said.

"I'm sure _I _could persuade them." Ziva said, not looking up from her computer screen.

"Not happening, Ziva." Tony said. "We'd end up having to arrest you for killing them."

Her head shot up and she glared at Tony. "Who said I'd kill anyone?"

"McGee did it." Tony was always quick to point the finger at McGee, who glared at him.

"Do we have the flight or not?" Gibbs asked. _Sometimes I feel like a teacher or a parents around these three. _He thought to himself, annoyed.

"On it boss!" Tony said quickly. "Is Ducky coming with us?"

"I don't know, have you talked to him or Palmer yet?"

"Well, no."

"So what are you waiting for, DiNozzo?"

"On it boss!" Tony said, for the second time, picking up the phone.

Ziva asked. "Did they ID the Marine?"

"Yeah. Detective Vince Korsak, Boston PD, called us immediately."

"Are we really the closest to Boston?"

"Likely." He muttered. "Vic's name is Gunnery Sergeant David Stern, age thirty-four, on leave in Boston. Ziva, you're getting more background on this guy."

"Where's our farthest case ever been?" Ziva asked, curious.

"Boondocks?" Tony asked.

"Nah. I can think of one case…" Gibbs was thinking hard. "Gitmo." He reminded Tony.

"Didn't you guys fly out to Kansas once?" McGee asked Tony, interested.

"Yep. Wichita, Kansas. We went there to check out the football carrier aboard… Air Force One." Tony was silent for a second, thinking it over.

McGee heard the silent message. _The plane that led to Kate. _He thought. He was silent too, he and Tony exchanging a look.

"I am confused. What is so special about Air Force One?" Ziva asked.

McGee and Tony were silent, remembering their own encounters with their dead friend, Caitlin Todd. Who at the time they had met was… as she often reminded them… a Secret Service Agent, handpicked to protect the President.

It was Tony who finally said it. "At the time, when we arrive on Air Force One, we were greeted by an extremely pushy Secret Service agent who didn't like other Feds worming their way into her turf. Of course by that time we weren't put off by duping Fornell and the other FBI buddies of ours, but we almost had to hijack Air Force One."

"And what was so special about the Secret Service Agent?" Ziva asked, not following.

"It was Kate." McGee and Tony said at the same time.

"Who resigned several days later and ended up with us." Tony finished. He noticed Gibbs was standing by the elevator.

"Is story time over, DiNozzo?" He snapped, haunted by the memories DiNozzo was currently discussing. _Kate. _He thought.

"Yeah boss!" He called back. Ziva was watching Tony, who seemed slightly… sad. McGee was silent, trying to focus on his computer screen. It was frightening how calm they bother were, but she was wondering about their inner turmoil.

A few hours passed. When all of them returned from lunch, carrying small suitcases, they headed to their desks- just as Gibbs stormed past. "Grab your gear, let's roll." McGee and Ziva immediately followed, but Tony remained behind, trying to sneak his GSM magazine into his backpack.

"Magazine stays behind, DiNozzo!" Gibbs snapped, and Tony quickly grabbed his backpack and suitcase, before running to follow Gibbs into the elevator. A flight awaited, as did Boston, and the Boston PD.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Boston- Boston PD_**

"Bad news." A file dropped on Jane Rizzoli's desk, and she looked up, glaring at the person who dropped it there.

"What do you want, Korsak?" She asked, her tone pissed off as usual. She'd received a call from Gabriel Dean, and wasn't in the mood for Korsak right now. Her voice, husky and rough as always, didn't soften at the sight of her old partner.

"I just got that call. You know the body on Maura's table?"

"Yeah? You mean that dead Marine, what about him?"

"Yeah I may have accidentally called in to report a dead Marine, and NCIS picked up on the scent. They're sending their Major Case Response Team _and _their medical examiner from Washington. They're coming in on the next flight."

"Shit, Korsak, you know I hate dealing with Feds!"

"Just like you hate dealing with Gabriel Dean?" Korsak asked. He looked around the empty office. "Where is everyone?"

"Frost went for coffee, and I'm fairly certain Frankie went with him. So it's just you and I." Her tone was not welcoming, but he still grinned.

"So what's up, Rizzoli? Things still rough between your parents?"

"Yeah, Korsak. I don't see why it matters." She was rubbing her hands, as though they pained her.

"Hands hurt?" He asked quietly, and her dark eyes glanced up at him.

"It's raining. What do you think, Korsak?"

"They hurt. You should go warn Maura about our visitors."

"On my way down there now. Unless she's out for coffee too. What is with everyone and coffee?" She stood up, wincing at the sudden pain.

"Bullet wound?" He asked, already knowing it was.

"Yes, that's the price I paid for being a hero." She stood up, Korsak watching as she headed downstairs, out of Homicide. He couldn't help but still feel a flash of admiration for his old partner.

She arrived in the morgue, as Maura was doing her preliminary. "Hey Maura." She said, pushing the wild dark hair back from her face.

"Jane!" Maura's eyes lit up. Her brownish, blonde-streaked hair was hidden below her cap, her brown eyes warm and friendly. But the scalpel in her hand didn't exactly send the message of _friendly. _She walked around the side of the table, confirming Jane's suspicions, as she was wearing high heels. "Are you here to watch?"

"Yes… and I come bearing a message. You may not want to start on that autopsy yet."

Maura was confused, Jane could see it in her eyes. "What do you mean? Why not?"

"We've got a couple of Federal Agents… and they're bringing in their medical examiner. Prepare to have your every move questioned. You share the autopsy with him. Unfortunately."

"Feds… what agency?"

"Dead Marine… We've got a couple of whiny snobs from NCIS heading our way. They're coming in on the next flight from Washington."

"Do you know how many agents are coming?" Maura asked, trying to shake off the idea of NCIS. For some reason, the name of the agency stuck with her. Just like other random memories that would randomly appear in her mind when she was confronted with a similar situation. Maura, lost in thought, didn't notice when Jane walked around to look at her.

"You okay, Maura? You look pale."

"Yeah, Jane. I'm fine. Just thinking about NCIS."

"Ever worked with them before?"

"Not to my knowledge." Maura knew that somewhere in the back of her mind, something was fighting to surface. Random memories. Ones she knew weren't her own.

_Holding, shooting a gun. _

_Being held hostage in a morgue._

_Fighting another man with light brown hair._

_Expressing a desire to have kids. _

"Hey." She said, worriedly. "Maura, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I must have lost concentration. I'm sorry." Maura tried to smile, but it wasn't there. She simply sighed, and walked upstairs with Jane, and sitting at her desk. "Do you have any marshmallow fluff sandwiches for me?" She asked, her eyes lighting up.

Jane, rolling her eyes, pulled a container out of her desk. "No storing this container in the dead people fridge." She warned.

"Cold air is cold air." Maura said, opening the case. "Oh thank god." She mumbled, sinking her teeth into the sandwich. "I skipped breakfast." She said, mumbling it through a mouthful of bread and marshmallow fluff.

Jane shook her head at her best friend, but she couldn't help but smile. Sure Maura was weird, and yes, people called her Queen of the Dead, but she was all the friend that Jane needed. Because Jane was the only girl in a family of boys, and had to find solace somewhere. Even if it was in her work, with Maura, Frankie, Frost and Korsak. Her overbearing mother, unfortunately was working in the police café which was not where Jane wanted her, but what could she do? She immediately stopped thinking, noticing that Maura was staring into space.

"Maura? _Maura_?" Jane asked, rolling her eyes, as she waved her hand in front of Maura's face. _God, _Jane wondered. _What goes on in your mind, Maura Isles? _She finally snapped her fingers, and Maura seemed to snap out of it.

"Sorry, my mind is really wandering today." She murmured, staring down at the sandwich. Jane looked at her own coffee cup, just as Frost and her brother arrived again.

"I hate winter." Frankie muttered, and glared out the window at the rain.

"Chill, little brother. It's only February."

"It could be August and hotter than hell." Maura offered.

Frost, Korsak and Jane all exchanged a look. They had enough experience with the perps that generally came out during the heat of the summer. Even… _The Surgeon. _Even though the room wasn't all that cold, Jane still shivered, the memory of Warren Hoyt haunting her, every encounter scarring her more than the previous one. His mark was left on her, both emotionally and physically. She thought of what had happened when she'd tried to be a hero. Stab wounds in both hands, and a gunshot wound to the side, from two different encounters, both of them enough reminders about heroism for a lifetime. She looked up at the clock.

"Our friends from Washington should be arriving soon. Will they be able to get here okay?" She asked.

Korsak stood up. "I can meet them at the airport, show them to their hotel."

"I think they'll be okay. Feds normally know their way around."

"Hey Jane." Korsak said.

"What?"

"Remember that time that someone tried to assassinate the President aboard Air Force One?"

"Yeah." Jane said. "FBI stopped them, didn't they?"

"Wrong." Frost spoke up. "I've been tracing some of NCIS's cases over the last few years, but that was the only one I could find. They teamed up with the Secret Service, and stopped a terrorist from assassinating the President."

"That was NCIS?" Jane was mildly surprised. "It was the Navy cops, not the suits from Hoover?"

"Apparently." Frost said. "I can't find any other records though."

"And have any of you recently spoken to the director of NCIS?"

"I did." Korsak said. "Their director, who seemed like a nice woman on the phone, asked for our full cooperation here in Homicide. I promised it." He looked around. "I expect all of you to put your best foot forward."

"Can I stick my best foot up their asses?"

"Not what I meant, Rizzoli." He said, glaring at her.

"What's the director's name?" Frost asked. "In case I need it for future reference."

"Director Shepard. Also, I want cooperation between you and the forensic scientist in Washington. I hear she's good."

"Another woman?" Crowe asked, walking in.

Jane automatically tensed. He was a sexist pig who somehow ended up with a badge. One time, as a prank, he'd stuffed a tampon in her mineral water. She had just thrown the bottle out, and let the matter slide. Korsak had been pissed, but hadn't done anything about it.

"Yeah." Korsak checked his notes. "Total of three women. Director, forensic scientist, and then… one of the people coming. A liaison officer."

"Foreign chicks are statistically hotter." Crowe said, leaning on Jane's desk. "Wouldn't you agree, Rizzoli?"

"No." was her sharp reply. "Get off my desk if you value your balls, Crowe."

He stood up at once. "Geez, Rizzoli, I'm kidding. Take a Midol or something."

She glared at him, crossing her arms. Korsak spoke up. "Can you please return your focus to me? I'm going to the airport to help our friends from NCIS get around. If I get any word about any childish pranks, I'll report all of you. Got it?"

Everyone nodded. Crowe immediately made himself scarce, unwilling to admit his fear of pissing off Rizzoli. In fact, he was really good at it too.

Jane followed Korsak into the hallway. "Listen, Korsak, I'm not here to kiss ass. I'm here to do my job."

"I know, Rizzoli. Jane, I was your partner for years, humor me. I just asked for cooperation. I did not mean you need to kiss anyone's ass. You got that?"

She nodded. "Even yours?"

He turned, surprised. Then he grinned. "No you can kiss my ass."

She blew him a sarcastic kiss before watching him walk away. The banter, the ease of working together had never left them. Only the comfort of him watching her back. She walked back into the office, and sat down at her desk. Maura was sitting on the desk, watching as Frankie and Frost engaged in conversation. She allowed herself to briefly relax, knowing the yahoos known as feds would be arriving soon enough.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Boston- NCIS_**

Gibbs was looking around the airport, after they had grabbed their bags, and the five of them made their way to a grizzled looking detective who was holding up a sign that said "NCIS".

"Are you Detective Vince Korsak?" Gibbs asked.

"I am."

"I'm Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, this is Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, Special Agent Timothy McGee, Dr. Donald Mallard and Officer Ziva David."

Korsak eyed Ziva for a second. "This your liaison officer?"

"Yes." She said, eyeing him suspiciously.

He looked at her, trying to place the accent. "You're Israeli?"

"Yes." Her tone was impatient.

"Mossad then." He said. "I can show you the way to your hotel if you want."

"Sounds fine." Gibbs muttered, glaring at Korsak. He was taking up their time by questioning Ziva. He showed them to their hotel, which was just down the street from the Boston PD station. In the lobby, Gibbs ordered them to come back within ten minutes, meeting in the lobby. It wasn't hard. They were all on the same floor. Gibbs' connecting door led into Ducky's room, which he didn't mind.

Tony wasn't as happy, because his connecting door led straight to McGeek's room, which he didn't appreciate at all. Ziva didn't have a connecting door to anyone, as they were a party of five, and she was across the hallway from Gibbs.

Gibbs threw his suitcase on the bed, before grabbing his backpack and walking into the carpeted hallway, where Ducky was waiting.

"Honestly, Jethro, it took you that long?"

Gibbs glared at him, and they headed downstairs, where Korsak was still evidently waiting for them. When they were all assembled, Ducky asked.

"Excuse me, Detective, but has your medical examiner done the autopsy yet?"

"No, I specifically requested that Dr. Isles wait for you to do the autopsy and Dr. Isles was willing to assist." He said. "Now, I'd like to warn you, the cops I work with in Homicide can be a bit unpredictable. They are for the most part, professional, but are a little out of control."

"Gee," Gibbs said deadpan. "I wonder what that's like."

Tony and Ziva exchanged a look. Then they all walked through the light misting of rain and Korsak led them into the Boston PD building, up to the Homicide department. In there, there was one woman, and three other men.

"Everyone, I'm back." Korsak announced, walking in, followed by Gibbs. They all turned and looked. Gibbs looked them all over, not for the first time wishing he had Kate with him to profile these people. There was a colored man in his early thirties, a young man in his late twenties with dark hair and eyes, an annoying handsome man in his mid-thirties, and a woman in her early thirties, with unruly dark hair and dark eyes that resembled the young man. He quickly said. "This are Special Agents Gibbs, DiNozzo and McGee, Dr. Mallard, and Officer David."

Everyone said their hellos. Korsak said. "Now are you going to continue to stare at them, or are you actually going to introduce yourselves?"

The colored man introduced himself as Detective Barry Frost. His partner was the dark-haired woman, Detective Jane Rizzoli, who clearly carried a lot of baggage. The arrogant man was Detective Darren Crowe, the younger man a patrol officer, Frank Rizzoli, who was Det. Rizzoli's younger brother. Korsak looked at Jane and said. "Detective Rizzoli, could you please take our visitors down to the morgue to see the body."

"Sure." She agree cautiously, in a low, hoarse voice that Gibbs wouldn't have imagined. She led them downstairs, not wanting to take the elevator, to the morgue, where a woman with light brownish-blonde hair stood with her back facing them. Her figure was slim, almost reminding him of… Kate. A look at McGee, DiNozzo and Ducky, told him that he was sure they felt the same. And then, Dr. Isles turned around.

"Hello." She said, in a warm voice that Gibbs had almost forgotten. "I'm Dr. Maura Isles."

But no one noticed that she had spoken. Gibbs was tongue-tied. A quick glance at McGee and DiNozzo was enough. They both looked stunned, while Ducky looked stricken. Gibbs could suddenly almost picture Kate in the moment- but he didn't have to. Because a woman, whose only difference from Kate was the shade of her hair, could give him everything he needed.

Jane sighed. "And these are the feds from Washington."

Hearing the contempt in her voice was enough to bring Gibbs back into focus. But she appeared just as surprised as he did to see these four strange men all staring at her with looks of pain on their faces.

Gibbs stepped forward. "I'm Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. These are Special Agents Timothy McGee, Anthony DiNozzo, Officer Ziva David and Dr. Donald Mallard, who'll be doing the autopsy with you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." She said calmly. Gibbs was taken back to a memory that had long evaded him after the coma.

_She glared at him fiercely. "Look, don't dismiss me like that! Okay? I earned my jockstrap!"_

_This SS agent deserved to be taken down a notch. He stood up, watching her carefully. "Yeah? Does it ever give you that empty feeling?"_

_This threw her off guard. "What?" She asked._

_"Your jockstrap!" He said, suppressing a grin. _

_"No." She said firmly, and he swore he could have drowned in her eyes. "Like some species of frogs, I grow what I need."_

_She certainly had balls, and she was just the kind of person that Leroy Jethro Gibbs could fall in love with. Shame she wasn't a redhead. _

He inhaled sharply, and Maura- he'd already stopped thinking of her as Dr. Isles- looked up, concern etched on a face he knew all too well. "Are you alright, Special Agent Gibbs?"

"Dispense with the 'special agent' stuff, okay?" He said. "It's Gibbs. This is DiNozzo, McGee and Ziva."

"What about you?" She asked Ducky. Gibbs realized with a stab of pain and jealousy that Ducky knew much more about the woman in front of him than he did. He had done the autopsy on Kate, he knew her inside and out- more than Gibbs himself knew about Kate. "Should I call you Dr. Mallard?"

Gibbs knew that Ducky was in agony, watching this woman who was Kate, but so obviously wasn't Kate. He had bonded very closely and very easily to Kate. Gibbs had watched it, but had felt no threat from his longtime friend. Ducky had been the first to comfort her after the _y. pestis _incident. "Ducky, please." He said, grinning, the pain in his eyes all too evident to Gibbs.

Maura smiled. "If I'm allowed to call you Ducky, then you can definitely call me Maura." She turned to the rest of them. "That goes for the rest of you too."

"It will be my pleasure, C-." Ducky stopped himself, already annoyed by his little slip up. "It will be my pleasure, Maura."

Gibbs decided to intervene. "Much as I'm loving the introductions, I'm heading upstairs." He turned to Rizzoli.

"Detective, who was the first at the crime scene?"

She didn't even blink. "I was. Detective Korsak and I were."

"Do you have photos? Evidence, even sketches of the scene?"

"All of the above. I'll take you to the evidence locker, where we were keeping everything." Rizzoli led him down the hallway, and away from Dr. Maura Isles.

"So what was with your weird look to Dr. Isles?" Rizzoli asked, watching him, as she hunted in her pockets for the key to the evidence locker.

"What do you mean?"

"It's like your entire team, minus Officer David, looked like you were in complete pain." She commented.

"And I suppose, Detective Rizzoli, you'd know all about pain." He muttered, watching her.

She turned, her eyes flashing. "Actually yes." She held up her palms, where two identical marks were, two identical scars, barely faded. When she flipped her palms over, there were matching marks on the back of her hands too. "Want to compare scars?"

"Sure." Gibbs was nonchalant. "I have plenty. How'd you end up with those?"

"Long story." She said, searching through the evidence lockers.

"Yeah?" He was unimpressed. "What happened?"

"Met a bad man, we had a disagreement."

"A disagreement? Funny, I've ended up in a few of those, it's safe for me to say. Nothing good ever comes out of a disagreement, right Detective?"

She glared at him, before handing him the box of evidence collected. "No, Special Agent Gibbs, nothing ever does."

"So what happened? You said it was over a disagreement. What kind of disagreement?"

"The kind that ended with me being pinned to a dirt floor with a scalpel through each hand." She said, clearly in pain at the memory.

"Ah" Gibbs said. He didn't elaborate, he just asked. "What's the story with your ME?"

"Maura?" Rizzoli's head popped up, as she glared at him curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious. She seems like an interesting person."

"Yes, your Special Agent couldn't keep his eyes off her. In fact… as I said, none of your team were able to stop looking at her, which surprised me. What captures your attention about Maura?"

"Nothing."

"Bullshit." She replied, glaring at him.

He glared back, fixing her with his usual glare. She refused to be intimidated by the gruff fed, who was only mildly more frightening than Korsak- who scared her about as much as the dogs he kept bringing home with him.

Gibbs rolled his eyes, and picked up the box. "Our forensic scientist, Abby Sciuto will be flying here tomorrow, to work with your scientists."

"Understood." She led him back up to the brick tank, where he managed to engage in conversation with Korsak.

Meanwhile, she made it back down to the morgue, where Dr. Mallard- _Ducky _and Maura were already starting on the autopsy. McGee, DiNozzo and Officer David were already watching.

"So what's the story with your boss?" She asked the nearest agent. _DiNozzo._

"Boss man?"

"Yeah. Is he always such a bastard?"

"Pretty much." DiNozzo grinned. "We're all used to it."

"Maura." She said.

DiNozzo looked up, staring at Maura, as Maura looked up. How painful it was to restrain from teasing her! But this was not Kate. His friend, his partner. This was a stranger.

"What?" Maura asked calmly.

"Special Agent Gibbs was asking after you."

"What? Why?" Concern caused her voice to go higher, much as Kate's had done.

"I'm not sure." Rizzoli shook her head.

But it was reason enough for Tony to exchange a look with McGee. _Boss man still loves Kate. _It was on both their minds. Tony had never had direct confirmation. But it was enough to see the way Gibbs had acted after Kate's death. But what would always haunt Gibbs, Tony was sure, was the uncertainty of Kate ever loving him back.

McGee and Tony had both felt like brothers to Kate, and she had felt like a sister to them. They had missed her for a long time, even if Ziva had continued to fill her desk. He wondered what Jenny would have thought of Kate. A competitor for Gibbs' affections?

McGee was staring at Kate. He missed Kate, _God _he missed Kate. He could almost laugh at the thought of what they'd been through in their brief time on the same team. He remembered how she'd been the most welcoming to him. She hadn't _really _treated him like a rookie, but as a friend.

DiNozzo finally cleared his throat. "We don't really have to watch, do we?"

"No, no of course not. I can understand if autopsies aren't really your thing."

"Thanks." McGee said. But while he and Tony were incredible eager to get away, Ziva wasn't. DiNozzo finally left, accompanied by McGee.

It wasn't watching _the autopsy _that bothered them, it was watching _her. _


	4. Chapter 4

**_Boston- Boston PD_**

Rizzoli was back down in Autopsy, Korsak and Frankie briefing most of the agents upstairs. Except, two people from the NCIS team remained.

Dr. Mallard was working on the autopsy, while Officer David was watching as he and Maura worked. She looked slightly confused at the antics of their team.

"Is something wrong, Officer David?" Rizzoli asked, curiously watching her reaction.

"No, nothing is wrong. It is just…. My team is acting…." She scrunched up her face in confusion, as though thinking deeply. "They are acting hinky."

Rizzoli raised an eyebrow at her choice of words. "Hinky?"

"It means strange. At least I think it does. Our forensic scientist uses that word. English is not my first language." She seemed almost annoyed. "They all acted so surprised when they walked in. Gibbs does not freeze up like that. He is always so level-threaded."

Rizzoli was confused for a second, exchanging a look with Maura. But Dr. Mallard merely chuckled.

"My dear Ziva, I believe the term you are looking for is level-headed." He said calmly.

"Thank you, Ducky." She said calmly.

Maura hid a smile, as she looked him over. "Dr. Mallard, what is this?" She asked.

"It's…. Well hello." He used tweezers to pull out a bullet. "What's this?"

"Bullet. Looks to be standard 9mm." Maura rattled off the facts instantly, as Ducky looked up in surprise.

"Do we have an evidence jar, Maura?" Rizzoli was surprised how easily he managed to say the words. But it still looked painful for him to speak to her. Rizzoli had to wonder why.

"Of course, here you are, Dr. Mallard."

"Please, call me Ducky. No one calls me Dr. Mallard anymore."

Maura looked up at that. "Everyone is used to calling you that?"

"Yes." He said, surprised. "Even if it took some longer than others to remember it." He smiled over at Officer David, who smiled back. "Isn't that right, Ziva?"

"Yes, Ducky, that is correct." She said back.

Maura looked at her, and for a horrifying second, she was struck with an image:

_A man leering at her, with dark skin, black hair and a cruel grin. Ari. _

She blinked, and found herself staring at the lung, which she was holding in her hands. She swallowed hard, before turning to Rizzoli. She looked pale.

"Maura, you okay?" Rizzoli asked worriedly.

"Yes." She said quietly. But she wasn't. She didn't know who the man… Ari… was. She only knew that he terrified her. She vowed to research him later. But she didn't have a last name… Was he a well-known terrorist? She doubted it.

Rizzoli could see the fear in Maura's eyes, knowing she'd get the truth out of her friend with the inability to lie sooner or later. It was silly, but she knew there was something wrong. She didn't want her friend to be afraid. Rizzoli had to protect her.

Her heart throbbed at the thought. _Protect…. Your best friend. _And if there was a threat to Maura, Rizzoli sure as hell wouldn't let her be harmed.

"You seem quiet." Dr. Mallard said to Officer David. "Do you like having your own room?"

"Ducky, you have no idea. I almost pity McGee, for having to share with Tony. I think he'd rather share with Jethro." They both chuckled.

"Why would Special Agent McGee want to stay with Special Agent Gibbs?" Rizzoli asked, having missed the joke.

"Oh no." Officer David smiled. "We're talking about McGee's dog, Jethro."

"Why is his dog named after Special Agent Gibbs?" Maura asked, trying to forget the warm feeling she had felt when she'd seen Gibbs, the salt and pepper hair and blue eyes somehow familiar. She was drawn to him, that she could not deny.

"Our forensic scientist, Abigail named him." Dr. Mallard explained. "She is Jethro's favorite, _our _Jethro, so she named the dog after him. But McGee ended up owning him. He's a German Shepherd. Good working dog, with training as a drug dog."

"What's the deal with Special Agent Gibbs, anyway? He seemed the most struck with Maura." Rizzoli couldn't help herself.

Dr. Mallard looked down at the body. "I'm afraid it's not really for me to tell."

"Why don't you tell us anyway?" Rizzoli cut in impatiently.

"Why is Gibbs acting so strangely?" Officer David asked, clearly concerned. She was talking to Dr. Mallard, who looked clearly uncomfortable.

He turned to Officer David, and said quietly. "Ziva…. You do remember who sat in your desk before you?"

"Yes, Ducky, but I do not see how it relates to this." She said, looking at him, as though he'd grown a second head.

Rizzoli was watching the exchange, curious. Who had sat in Officer David's desk before she had?

"My dear, I will explain later." He said as if to clearly say. _Not here, in front of them. _He was uncomfortable.

"Seriously? You're pulling the Fed card. As in "that's need to know!"?"

Dr. Mallard looked at her in surprise. "You've worked with the FBI then?" He asked, before chuckling to himself.

"She had a bad experience with an FBI agent." Maura explained for her, as Rizzoli glared at her.

"Gee, thanks Maura." She muttered, annoyed.

"Sorry Jane." Maura sighed.

The door banged open, causing them all to jump. It was merely Special Agent Gibbs.

"Ziva." He said. "DiNozzo's looking for you."

"Why would Tony want to speak to me?" She asked.

"I'm not a messenger pigeon! I don't know. I came down here to speak to Dr. Isles." He barked, annoyed. "Now go find DiNozzo."

"Yes Gibbs." She quickly made haste to leave.

Once she left, Dr. Mallard chuckled. "Really Jethro, your bark is becoming stronger than your bite."

"Oh, thanks Duck." He grumbled, watching the autopsy. "We got anything?"

"Bullet wound lodged in the aorta. Certainly killed him."

Maura stared at him for a second, then glanced at Special Agent Gibbs. She was struck so suddenly, it hit her like a lightning bolt.

_She had jumped in the way of a bullet for him, for her boss, because she couldn't let him die. Regardless they were wearing Kevlar vests. She jumped on instinct to protect him. Because it was easier than admitting her feelings. _

_And right when they'd helped her up- it had happened. The bullet flying towards her before she finished her sentence. And then she died. She never got to tell Gibbs. _

She jumped a little, making the cart covered in her tools rattle.

"Y'alright there?" Special Agent Gibbs asked, at her side in an instant.

"Just a little spooked is all." She said, smiling weakly.

"Why?" She realized then that he was touching her arm protectively, and she relaxed at his touch.

"Just… I don't know." She shook her head. "Honestly, it's fine. I'm fine."

"Are you sure, Maura?" Her name fell from his lips like honey, sounding perfectly enunciated with his lips. She swallowed and pulled away.

"I am perfectly sure."

Rizzoli, watching the whole scene, had only one question:

What the _hell _had she just seen?


End file.
